Wednesday, 30 January 2008

I finally finished the second malabrigo scarf, this photo shows why I love this scarf, the colours are just indescribebly gorgeous. It knit up really quickly on 6mm needles into a thick, squashy, stretchy fabric. Malabrigo worsted is actually quite soft, excellent scarf material I think. I'm not sure what else you could really do with this yarn (except socks of course), I love the variation in colours but only in small spaces. This scarf used exactly the same amount of yarn as the black forest scarf (2 skeins) but is much wider and longer, and still a reasonably close weave. Try it, try it!

Monday, 28 January 2008

I had a lovely weekend, the weather was, er, surprising(ly wonderful) The cottage we rented was gorgeous, the Cornish countryside luscious. I found myself knitting one night watching 'when harry met sally' with a real log fire burning and tea in a blue china cup, I had to pinch myself! But the overwhelmingly best part was the beaches, oh the beaches!

Sunday, 20 January 2008

inspired by 'Simply Breakfast', who has a gorgeous blog, I'm a little addicted, to photo my own breakfast ~

very hot, with tea.

Jemima is taking up most of my knitting attention, I'm thoroughly concentrated on it, so other things are languishing while I work though my enthusiasm. This is how far you can get with almost one ball of Rowan Kid Classic ~

I'd say its about halfway through the back piece. As the wool is an aran gauge, and I want that drapey fabric the designer had in mind, I'm using 5.5mm needles, and so far its working well. I was going to knit the sweater a little longer, but I figure the bigger needles will take care of that for me, so I'm following the pattern exactly.

The unnamed heart is done, but not sewn up and filled, and I haven't even cast on the other fetching, so not really worth posting about. As for the scarf, nothing could be more boring than an unfinished ribbed scarf on the needles, however much it mocks me into guiltily working a few rows every day.

I've spent the weekends recently on depressing car maintenance, in the endless rain of course, everything from a flat battery, broken lights, water where it shouldn't be, windows that won't open, etc, etc. Its finally (touch a small, dense, forest of wood) okay to drive about, just a few more 'checks and precautions' to get through. I guess it's just an old, worn out car. I do love it though, I know it's silly but I'll never have the heart to sell it, it got me though moving house and starting a new job, and a lot of long lonely road trips. Its a ridiculous car for someone like me to have, I ought to have a small runaround with tiny boot space, not a twelve year old family estate in just the right shade of blue. Anyway, the reason it has to be tip-top is to take me and Mr Homely Hero down to Cornwall next weekend, to a cosy cottage near Looe. I know its January, but I just can't wait for a walk on the beach.

Monday, 7 January 2008

Exactly half way through a scented heart, and one Fetching done. I knit the glove on straight needles, not being the best of friends with dpns, and blithely placed the thumb opening in the centre.

Stupid me, the thumb isn't on the side of your hand, its slightly underneath. This means that my one 4knit column (not cable) where the seam is, is visible on the front of the hand, whichever you wear it on. So if anyone else is afraid of dpns, place the opening one further cable right or left towards the edge. I'll do it properly on the other one. Its not so catastrophic that I'll re-knit it, and I have a feeling my grandmother won't mind.

This must be the worst reason to knit and then give that knitting as a gift - because you don't like the wool and want it out of the house. Each of this trio (counting the gloves as a pair) takes exactly one ball of wool to knit, so I have one more idea to come up with and then its all over.On a much, much, happier note, I've begun swatching for the 'Ailish' bag from Country Escape, in Topaz little big wool. I plan to knit the bag and crochet the strap, just as soon as I've obtained an 8mm crochet hook.

And, how exciting, I've cast on my second sweater - this time it will be much more refined and elegant - Jemima in Nightly Kid Classic, on new bendy circular needles.

Friday, 4 January 2008

I stared at every pattern in the 'ultimate knitting book' - nothing, no inspiration whatsoever. And I have a cold, so it turned out simple cables were the answer.Also good to know is that this took less than one ball of wool - excellent knitting economy, but now I have to use up the other three. So, Late Gift Part Two will be my first 'fetchings' from Knitty, I must be the last person to try these.

I can't think of a name for this teacosy, its not exactly original anyway. I might come with a name for the set, whatever it turns out to be.

Wednesday, 2 January 2008

First side: 'hollow oak' and braids from the vogue knitting book. I'm looking for something good but different for the other side, something not too angular. The overall shape of the teacosy is looking very angular, but hopefully stitching it together will soften it. I will use my teapot to model it before its wrapped and sent. Surprisingly this is a fun project. And I've almost decided to make some 'Fetching's to go with it, because of the cable theme. The first snow is forecast tomorrow, fingers crossed.